GFCI breaker 2020 303rls

[jtsabush]

We just purchased new 303rls 10 days ago, really like it! However all worked fine til we had a light rain, now the gfci circuit keeps kicking off intermittently, especially mornings and evenings during higher humidity. We are dry camped running on generator power. Same generator I used on previous rig with no issues. Any suggestions?

[jtsabush]

Only outside outlets are in the basement storage area and they are dry. We are in the desert near Quartzsite Az. Except for a very light shower a few days ago, it is very dry here.

[TucsonJim]

Is the GFI on the generator or the RV kicking off? BTW, I'm in Tucson and we're as dry as Quartzsite. I had some moisture form in one of my outside plugs. And it only condensed when it got cold out and triggered the RV GFI. I used an air duster on all the outlets connected through the GFI, and it stopped popping.

If it's the GFI on the generator, it could be moisture in the outlet, or you may need an Edison (bonding) plug to help the issue.

Jim

[jtsabush]

I have since moved to an rv park with 50 amp ac power and the issue went away. I contacted Fitman generators support and was told they are getting numerous calls from folks with the same issue as me, who have recently purchased newer rigs. The tech's response was the power converter in the newer campers wants to charge your batteries the same time the generator does resulting in too high a voltage to the battery which results in a gfci breaker issue. They blame the newer power converters, not their generators! Has anyone else ran across this issue?

[jtsabush]

That's Firman generators not Fitman

[jtsabush]

I also found a very loose negative wire on one of my rig battery terminals. I know a loose or bad ground can cause intermittent issues also. Guess battery terminals are part of that 300 step inspection they do at the factory!!

[howson]

"...the newer campers wants to charge your batteries the same time the generator does..."

Sorry, I don't understand. I have no idea what that tech was trying to tell you but it sure sounds like nonsense to me.

If the generator is plugged into the camper's shore power (external) connector, the generator is the sole provider of 120vAC. The only way your battery will charge in that configuration is through the converter. (The converter, of course, changes the generator's 120vAC to 12vDC for use throughout your camper and to charge the battery.)

Was your previous camper 30A or 50A?

What is the power rating of your Firman generator?

What systems are powered on in the camper when the generator is running?

[TucsonJim]

I'll ask again since I didn't see the answer. Is the GFI on the trailer or the generator tripping. It makes a difference in how you resolve it.

Jim

[jtsabush]

Sorry I haven't got back for awhile. 1st, the gfci outlet that trips is in the camper. All outlets, including recliners, on door side of camper go off. The generator is a 3400 watt gen with a 30 amp rv plug built in, my rig is 50 amp but should run fine on 30 amp, just can't use as much stuff at once. I have talked with the svc manager from dealership I bought rig from, he agrees, nothing is wrong with rig or power converter, it is more than likely a frequency or voltage issue with the generator. Firman just doesn't want to own up to it but was definitely aware their generators were causing this issue.

[howson]

...the gfci outlet that trips is in the camper. All outlets, including recliners, on door side of camper go off.

Cate&Rob -- are all your door side outlets wired into the GFCI or are they like mine? I'm really surprised that jtsabush's are wired as described.

In case the OP hasn't seen this, here's how my trailer is configured:

[Cate&Rob]

Cate&Rob -- are all your door side outlets wired into the GFCI or are they like mine? I'm really surprised that jtsabush's are wired as described.

I have one GFCI under the forward end of the island. This protects outlets in the bathroom and the underbelly on both sides. All the outlets in the back of my 303 are on the "microwave" circuit . . . but, that is a whole other discussion.

If the OPs GFCI works fine on shore power but trips on generator power . . . the problem is obviously the generator. A GFCI looks for a low resistance connection between neutral and ground on the supply side. This is often a problem with generators built with floating neutral. The ground and the neutral must be bonded at the source of power. Often this is as simple as a plug wired to connect these two terminals.

Rob

[jtsabush]

Update...after tightening the extremely loose negative terminal wire on my rig battery, everything has worked perfect. We moved out of the RV park and dry camped on generator for 21/2 days. Purposely ran the generator for several hours each day, never clicked off once. So assume that was the issue all along. Thanks for all the input though, it was helpful and informative.

[TucsonJim]

Thanks so much for the update and how you resolved it. Reporting on how a problem was solved may help a future forum member get resolution faster for a similar issue.

Jim

[howson]

Update...after tightening the extremely loose negative terminal wire on my rig battery, everything has worked perfect. We moved out of the RV park and dry camped on generator for 21/2 days. Purposely ran the generator for several hours each day, never clicked off once. So assume that was the issue all along. Thanks for all the input though, it was helpful and informative.

I moved this to the "Electrical" channel so it's easier for future members to find it.

-Howard

[Country Campers]

If I may ask , What is the correlation between the negative post on the battery and the ground on the AC voltage system in the RV?

Brian